Heaters are often used in a work space to provide heat to selected parts of the work space. Prior heaters adequately serve this function, but often direct heat to a limited area. For example, prior heaters often provide heat only to the leg, hand or head area of a person in the work space. Prior heaters also require a flat support surface on which the heater can be placed. Thus, prior heaters can only be used in a work space provided with flat surfaces such as countertops and workbenches. Of course, prior heaters could be placed on the floor of the work space, but such placement limits the effective heating area of the heater to the space around the leg area of a person in the work space.
Prior workshop heaters are primarily hot air heaters that were incapable of directing heat across relatively large distances. Because prior heaters are placed on the floors, countertops or workbenches, the potential for fires started by the heaters is significant if the heaters are not provided with effective safety features such as tip-over switches and high heat-limiting circuits. A further hazard exists with prior heaters because their placement makes them susceptible to being covered or draped by flammable material such as a curtain or rags. To avoid fire hazards, prior heaters include grills covering the front of the heaters to prevent objects from directly contacting the heating elements. Fixes grills are often provided to prevent accidental or casual removal of the grills.